One of the perks of being a wallflower — you get to make out with Emma Watson.

Directed by Stephen Chbosky and based on his titular novel, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” follows Charlie (Logan Lermer), a high school freshman who doesn’t have any friends. He’s a nice looking kid, but a little socially too handicapped for the vicious environment of his high school to leave him unscathed. Lucky for him, he falls in with a misfit group of seniors, including Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller), who genuinely like him and expose him to new experiences. The one year he has to spend with them before they leave for college  is filled with ups and downs, much like the movie itself.

The hipsterness of Charlie’s new crowd is somewhat irksome . “As a freshman, I used to listen to the Top 40,” Sam shamefully confesses during a party. That, and some of the cornier lines, detract from the movie.

However, it becomes clear that the characters’ pretentious tendencies is used as a way to deal with pain. Films, books and music are some of the less destructive ways these teenagers get through the nightmare that is puberty, and who is to judge if someone believes they have a better point of view on them than others? It’s the natural default for most people.

Unfortunately, taking solace in creative works isn’t the only way these characters cope. The drugs they take and dysfunctional relationships they get into are great ways for them to cover up the child abuse referenced in the film. At least there seemed to be less of it here than in the book, but relating to it may be hard for the average MVHS student.

But pain isn’t the only aspect of the characters shown in the film. No, these are teenagers, and by God they are going to have fun. No character exhibits this better than Patrick, who delights with his enthusiasm. His cheerful personality is infectious, and Miller brings him to life in a way that wasn’t present in the novel. The character’s rendition of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the cult classic, “The Rocky Horror Picture show,” is only one highlight among several. In fact, the whole movie in general is more fun than the original novel.

Another thing the film does do better is the book’s most iconic scene. It involves Sam, a tunnel and dubious driving practices, which results in cinematography that truly captures the imagination.

But the fact that the film can do something like this, can allow us to be outside of Charlie’s head, ultimately makes it less enjoyable than the novel. It lacks the “slice-of-life” feel that Charlie’s epistolary narrative brings that makes most school stories seem familiar and personal. Although the fact that the viewers are not subject to all of Charlie’s juvenile thoughts make him ultimately more likeable in the film — he’s a little too innocent to seem as smart as Chbosky wants to make us believe — we’re just watching Charlie’s story instead of living it along with him.

While the novel does ultimately work better than the film, fans will probably still enjoy it, and for those who haven’t read Chbosky’s hit book, just go if you’re willing to watch a decent teen movie.

Or if you just want to judge Watson’s American accent.